The government will donate one billion won, or 731-thousand U.S. dollars, annually for the next five years to support UNESCO's efforts to preserve and pass down the world's intangible cultural heritage.

The Korea Heritage Service signed a framework arrangement with UNESCO in Paris on Friday on contributions to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund under the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Under the agreement, the South Korean agency and UNESCO will cooperate in establishing an online platform to share exemplary cases of preserving and passing down intangible cultural heritage.

It will be Seoul's first time to create a separate fund for UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage initiative.

South Korea is also seeking a bid to host the 2026 plenary session of the World Heritage Committee for the first time since its inaugural meeting in 1977.